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The desire to hasten death in advanced cancer patients at a Mexican palliative care service
- Source :
- Salud mental. 42:103-109
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria Ramon de la Fuente Muniz, 2019.
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Abstract
- Introduction. The desire to hasten death (DHD) might be present in patients with advanced cancer. Multiple distressing physical and psychosocial symptoms may be related to it. There is limited literature about the characteristics of these patients in Mexico. Objective. To describe the prevalence and factors associated with DHD in advanced cancer patients evaluated by a palliative care psychiatrist. Method. We conducted a cross-sectional study, including all patients referred to psychiatric assessment at the Servicio de Cuidados Paliativos of the Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia in Mexico City, from January to December 2016. DHD was defined as the presence of death ideas, suicidal ideation, and/or request for euthanasia or medically assisted suicide. Patients with delirium, dementia, psychosis, or uncontrolled physical symptoms were excluded. Results. Sixty-four patients were included in the study. Most of them were women (59%); the mean age was 49 years old ( SD = 16). Of them, 64% met criteria for a major depressive disorder, 64% for generalized anxiety disorder and/or panic disorder, and 11% for substance use disorders. 44% expressed DHD. In a multivariate regression analysis predicting DHD, only one factor emerged: clinical depression ( OR = 13.5, p = .002, 95% CI [02.562, 71.726]). Discussion and conclusion. The desire to hasten death is a frequent issue for the patients evaluated at the psychiatric palliative care clinic. Depression and other distressing psychiatric pathologies were associated with DHD. Interdisciplinary interventions are needed to treat DHD. More research is warranted in order to understand the factors associated with the expression of DHD.
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
Palliative care
business.industry
Psychiatric assessment
Panic disorder
medicine.disease
03 medical and health sciences
Psychiatry and Mental health
Clinical Psychology
0302 clinical medicine
030220 oncology & carcinogenesis
medicine
Delirium
Major depressive disorder
030212 general & internal medicine
medicine.symptom
Assisted suicide
Psychiatry
business
Suicidal ideation
Depression (differential diagnoses)
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 01853325
- Volume :
- 42
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Salud mental
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........bd8051d11a654447e5da59231d917796